Starting device and starting circuit



Jan. 9, 1934. J. E. o. LOUETTE 1,943,182

STARTING DEVICE AND STARTING CIRCUIT Filed Dec. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 9, 1934. .1. E. o. LOUETTE STARTING DEVICE AND STARTING CIRCUIT Filed Dec. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 8, 1930. Serial No. 500,922, and. in France May 3, 1930' 2 Claims.

Starting of heat engines is. usually eficcted by adynamo. which is thrown in gear with the motor? through the: medium of a pinion movable onthe screw-threaded shaft of the dynamo. de-- i vice has: the inconvenience of causing the pinion to mesh with the driven. wheel after starting of the dynamo when the latter rotates at: a high. speed.

present invention, which. relates to immovements in startersand starting circuits, is mainly dliiara'cterized by the: following points taken.- separately or according to any combinations':

(a) The armature of the starter is, atrest, axially displaced relatively to its inductors, under the action of a resilient returning member; a pinion, fast on the armature shaft meshes the toothed wheel of the motor when the armatare. moves in translation and assumes the positionof minimum reluctance of the magnetic circuit.

(is) The pinion of the starter is rendered only mgularly rigid with the armature shaft and is moved in translation by a disengaging fork con trolled by a contactor pedal adapted to close, at

the. end of its stroke, the circuit of the starter after engagement of the pinion the driven wheel.

(0) The disengaging fork, controlling the translation of the pin-ion of the starter, is actuated through the medium of a relay ensuring, at-

time end of the displacement of its core, the auto matte" closing of the starter circuit.

Cd)" The control relay according to (a) can comprise two windings, the first winding fulfilling the function indicated at ('c)- and the secondw-inding; which is connected in series in the circuicor the dynamo, reinforcing the action of the first winding for firmly maintaining the pinion or the starter in engagement with the toothed wheel of the motor.

(e) The entrance of the teeth of the driving and driven pinions presents, in plan view, an" engaging edge formed by the intersection of two curved surfaces or of a plane surface and* of a curved surface constituting the flanks of the teeth.

(I) The new application of amovement selector having apinion mounted on the shaft of the starter in order to facilitate the engagement? of the teeth of the pinions and to eliminate on the starter the return stresses of the motor.

The invention has also for an object the new application, to a starter, of an electric. mechanical, pneumatic or like locking device", adapted to limit,. in. position of rest, the axial displacements of the armature of the: starter, and of means for putting the locking device in or out of action, preferably in combination with: the insertion of the: starter in the circuit.

The improvements forming the subject-matter' of the; present invention also relate to the shape of the: entrance of the teeth of the driving and driven. pinions, characterized in that the ends of the teeth are so shaped that the intersection of the external face of this end by any place is always: outwardly curved.

Theinventiorr can be carried out according to numerous forms of construction which are all included in itszscopeand some of which are illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings in which 2 Fig. 1 is a section of a starter the armature of. which; is axially displaced relatively to the inductors.

Fig. 2 is a diagrannnaticview of another form of construction.

Fig. 3 is a: diagrammatic view of a third form of construction; I

Fig. 4 is: a. constructional modification.

Fig. 5 is a plan View showing a shape which may be given to the entrance of the teeth of the driving and driven pinions.

Fig; 6 isia section of a starter having an axially displaced armature and provided with an electromagnetic locking device.

7' is a diagrammatic view of a similar starter provided with a mechanical locking device.

Fig. 8 is a front and side view of the end of a tooth- 9 is a plan view of teeth at the beginning of the gearing action.

In the form of construction of Fig. 1, the shaft of the armature 1 of a starter is rendered angularly rigid, for instance, by means of a key, with a pinion 2. The armature is axially displaced in position of rest, under the action of a resilient returning mcmbersuch as a spring 3;

The closing of a contact 4 establishes the. following. circuits:

(a) Source of supply contact 4contact piece. 4 -electromagnet' P -wire to body contact- The. el'ectromagnet. 4 is energized and draws blade 5 which comes against the contact piece 6.

(b) Source of supply 40contact 4contact piece 4 wire 56-wi're 7shunt winding 57- Wire" 58'-shunt. winding 59'wire 60to body contact.

The shunt circuit of the inductors is closed without the current passing through the armature for the purpose of determining the centering, relatively to the pole pieces, of the armature which moves towards the left by causing, on the one hand, the engagement of the pinion 2 with the toothed wheel 8 of the motor and, on the other hand, the displacement of a blade 9 which comes on to the contact piece 45. This latter operation determines the closing of the following circuit which had been prepared by closing of the contactor 58:

Source of supply 40wire 4lcontact piece 6--biade 5-wire i2-wire 43-blade 9contact piece 45-wire ES-wire 47-wire 48winding wire l -wire EC-Winding wire 51brush 52- armature brush 53-to body contact 54- The motor is then started, driving the pinion 2 and the toothed wheel 8 of the motor. When the contactor a is no longer acted upon, the various circuits previously indicated are opened owing to the denergization of the relay 4 which releases the blade 5 opening the contact 56. The inductors being no longer energized, the armature 1, under the action of the spring 3, is again displaced and automatically determines the disengagement of the pinion 2.

In Fig. 2, the pinion 2 can move in translation on the shaft 1, but is rendered angularly rigid with the latter in any suitable manner, for instance by reason of its fitting a squared end of the shaft 1, and the pinion 2 may be moved longitudinally of the shaft 1 through the medium of a fork 5 extending in a groove 6' of the sleeve 7 of this pinion. The fork 5 is angularly moved by a lever 8' connected by a suitable link 9 to a pedal 10 which, at the end of its movenent, connects up the starter through a con tactor 11.

The circuit of the starter is then the follow- Source of supply 6l-wire 62contact 63--1l- 6lwire 65starte1'.

The arrangement previously indicated ensures the previous engagement of the pinion 2 with the toothed wheel 8 of the motor.

The striker fork 5 can be controlled (Fig. 3) through the medium of a relay 13 connected up by a contactor 14 arranged within reach of the driver. The actuation of the contactor 14 determines the closing of the following circuit:

Source of supply 66-wire 67-contact piece 68contactor 69-contact piece 70wire '71 wire '72 of the relay 13wire 73-to body contact.

The displacement of the core of the relay determines, on the one hand, the desired engagement, and, on the other hand, at the end of the movement, the displacement of the blade 15 which comes on to the contact piece 76 by closing the following circuit of the starter:

Source of supply 66-wire 74contact '76- blade 15-wire 77-wire 'Z8starter.

The release of the contactor l4 ensures the opening of the circuit of the relay 13 which is Source of supply 27wire 28blade 17contact 17= relay 18--to body contact.

The energization of the relay 18 ensures the application of the blade 1'? on to the contact 20.

(b) of the following circuit:

Source of supply 27-wire 28blade l7contact 17 wire 35winding IS -wire 36to body contact.

The core 16 of the winding or relay l5 moves in the direction of the arrow f and determines, on the one hand, the desired engagement, as indicated in Fig. 3 and, on the other hand, at the end of the displacement, the application of the blade 25 to the contact 26, this ensuring the closing of the following circuit previously prepared at 19-20: source of supply 2'7wire 28 wire 28 ,-wire 29blade 19--c0ntact 2ow1re 21-contact piece 26blade 25wire 30-winding 15 -wire 31--starter.

The starter is started and the winding 15 which is in series in the circuit of the starter, reinforces the action of the winding 15* and firmly holds the pinion 2 in gear.

As soon as the contact 17 is no longer acted upon, the relay 18 is de-energized, this causing the opening of the previously mentioned circuit at 1920. The starter stops and the various parts return to their initial positions under the action of resilient returning members (not shown) For allowing gearing, previously to starting, of the pinion 2 with the toothed ring 8, the entrance of the teeth can be formed as shown in Fig. 5.

In the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 6, the circuits of which have been slightly modified relatively to the device shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 1 of the armature of a starter is rendered angularly rigid, for instance by means of a key, with the pinion 2. The armature is axially displaced relatively to its inductors in position of rest, under the action of the resilient returning member such as a spring 3. The closing of the contact 80 establishes the following circuit:

Source of supply 40--contact 80contact piece 81conductors 8283-electromagnet 84conductors 85-86-87winding 88-'conductor 89-winding 90to body contact. The electromagnet is energized and draws the plunger-core 84 which releases the armature shaft 1, this armature assuming the position of minimum reluctance. The displacement in trans: lation of the armature shaft 1, closes the resilient contact 9 which establishes the following circuit: Source of supply 40-contact 80c0ntact piece ill-conductor 90-oontact 91contact piece 92-conductor 93--inductor 94conductor 95-inductor 96brush 52commutator of the armature lbrush 53to body contact.

The motor starts and drives the pinion 2 which has come into engagement with the toothed wheel 8 of the motor, upon axial translation of the armature. v,

When the contact 80 is no longer acted upon, the electromagnet 84 is no longer energized, as well as the windings 88, 89 and inductors 94 and 95. The armature shaft moves in translation under the action of the spring 3 and ceases to close the contact 9, whilst the core of the electromagnet, which is released, resumes its initial position and locks the armature 1 which has returned to its position of rest. r

The new application of a locking device is necessitated by the displacement which might be, made by the armature under the action of its force of inertia, for instance upon a sudden starting or stoppage, according to the position occupied by the starter, or again by a high acceleration. The spring 3 (which must not be too powerful for obtaining a proper operation of the starter, which would cause the engagement of the pinion 2 with the toothed wheel 8, or at least a shock prejudicious to the proper preservation of the teeth of these gears), can be compressed by the mass of the armature.

The form of construction illustrated in Fig. '7 shows a mechanical locking device mounted on a starter of the previously mentioned type.

A finger 97 is mounted on the end of a lever 98 pivoted at 99 on the frame of the starter. The lever 98 is controlled by a lever 100 with which it is integral and which is connected, by suitable link-work 101, to a lever 102 integral with a contactor pedal 10. When this pedal is actuated, the circuit controlling the translation of the armature l is closed, as described above, and the finger 97 releases the shaft 1 of the armature, which closes the contact 9 by assuming the position of minimum reluctance of the circuit, and starts.

Generally speaking, use is made of a compound motor.

A special shape of the entrance of the teeth of the pinion 2 and wheel 8 of the motor is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. This shape is such that the intersection of the external face of the end of a tooth by any plane, is a curve which does not present any point of infiexion. As will be understood, all the positions of the teeth of the gears in contact, cause the teeth to slide on each other, this sliding movement resulting from the engagement of the convex surfaces of the ends of the teeth, and practically without any dead centre.

Such an arrangement allows gears to mesh together without any shock and without strain.

It is to be understood that the application of a locking device is applicable to all starters, and more particularly to those in which the axial displacement is controlled by the user independently of the insertion of the starter in the' circuit.

It is obvious that the forms of construction above described are only simple examples and that any desirable modifications can be made as long translation and comprising an armature winding, a spring for acting against the translation of the armature, a circuit comprising in series the first winding arranged on the pole pieces and the armature winding, a switch in the said circuit, means for automatically closing the said switch at the end of the translation of the rotor in antagonism with the spring, a second winding mounted on the pole pieces, a supply circuit of the said second winding mounted directly on the terminals of the source and a switch mounted on the said circuit of the second winding and adapted to be operated manually, a locking device adapted to act in its normal position against the translation of the rotor and means for disengaging the said device when the said second winding is put in circuit.

2. In an electric starting motor for an explosion engine, a source of electric current, an inductor carrying pole pieces and a first winding arranged thereon, a rotor adapted to be moved in translation and comprising an armature winding, a spring for acting against the translation of the armature, a circuit comprising in series the first winding arranged on the pole pieces and the armature winding, a switch in the said cir cuit, means for automatically closing the said switch at the end of the translation of the rotor in antagonism with the spring, a second winding mounted on the pole pieces, a supply circuit of the said second winding mounted directly on the terminals of the source and a switch mounted on the said circuit of the second winding and adapted to be operated manually, a locking device adapted to act in its normal position against the translation of the rotor, an electromagnet for disengaging the said locking device, the said electromagnet being mounted in series on the supply circuit of the said second winding.

JOSEPH ERNEST OCTAVE LOUET'I'E. 

